The three greatest Bordeaux you have ever tasted

[DavidG]

Jay, that dinner at Equinox is in my top 3 wine events.

[Nicklasss]

I'm answering late but very interesting topic. If I respect strictly the rules of SdR, and having sample the wine a few time with good pours, I end up with :

1.1990 Chateau La Conseillante
2.1983 Chateau Palmer
3.1989 Chateau Lynch Bages.


Just for comparison, my 20 favorite red wines to date:

1. 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild
2. 1982 Château Lafleur
3. 1990 Château la Conseillante
4. 1990 Chateau Beausejour Duffau
5. 1990 Château Pichon Baron Longueville
6. 1982 Château Pichon Lalande
7. 1983 Château Palmer
8. 2003 Chave Red Hermitage
9. 1970 Château Latour
10. 1989 Montrachet Bouchard Père et Fils
11. 1989 Château Lynch Bages
12. 2000 Guigal La Mouline
13. 2001 Romanée St Vivant from Hudelot-Noellat
14. 1999 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys Domaine Leroy
15. 1982 Château Margaux
16. 1982 Petrus
17. 1985 Château Margaux
18. 1989 Château Pichon Baron
19. 1990 Château Haut Bailly (two bottles for the first convention in Chicago, in 2001).
20. 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon Mondavi Reserve

Nic

[stefan]

1982 Mouton
1989 Lafite
1982 L'Evangile

Tonight we drank the '89 Lafite. Fabulous! stefanJr said it was the greatest Bordeaux he had drunk. For me it was even better than the last time I drank it, seven years ago. Parker's 90 rating is a joke, but he tasted it 15 years ago and might (should, IMO) have a different opinion now. stefanJr gave it 99 while Irena and I both graded it 98. This Lafite has the elegance that only Lafite can display, yet you cannot get the taste out of your mouth. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle. If I were as wealthy as the Republican nominee I would buy a few cases at auction.

The Lafite followed the '96 Jacques Prieure Chambertin, so it had serious competition. But as good as the Chambertin is, it is right now no match for the Lafite.

[Comte Flaneur]

Congratulations stefan on drinking the Lafite 1989 again.

Those of us who were there in 2009 have fond memories of that bottle which outshone the Haut-Brion 1989. So if this one was even better it must have been some bottle.

I had one in December in a very good line up. This bottle from the same case as the one we had in 2009 was quite clenched up. The view around the table was that it needed more time.

It is funny how some bottles are singing and others are tight. I still have half a dozen left. So may be I can bring one down to Bordeaux when Alex opens his 2000 Latour

Re Parker's rating I think he probably significantly under-estimated the 1985, 1988 and 1990 Lafites as well.

[Nicklasss]

Parker seems to have isuues with some estate, in time.

He rated badly for some time Lafite, Gruaud Larose, Talbot, Beychevelle... Proof that he is not infallible, like everyone!

Nic

[sdr]

BWE statistics:

Favorite château overall: Mouton (8 votes)

Favorite non-FG château: Pichon Lalande (5 votes)

Favorite vintage: 1982 (15 votes)

Second favorite vintage: tie, 1989 and 1959 (8 votes each)

Left bank: 87%, Right bank: 13%

First Growths: 54% (if you include Pétrus and Cheval as FGs)

Sauternes: 8%

Favorite wine: '82 PL (4 votes, 5 if you include AKR)

Second favorite: '89 HB (4 votes)

Third favorite: '86 Mouton (3 votes, 4 if Jay includes it)

Stuart